Blank feeding mechanism



Feb. 26, 1946. R. E. JINORDQUIST 2,395,496

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM! Filed Nov. 1'7, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet} Q M R R N f N R? K R 1 w 0 I Q m e Mull A IN VEN TOR.

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BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Fi led Nov. 17, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTOENEYS Feb. 26,;1945. R. E. J. NORDQUIST 2,395,496

- 4 BLANK FEEDING mmcmmsw Filed Nov.- 17, 1942: 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 A '7' TOEWEYS Feb. 26, 1946, 5. J. noanouls'r 2,395,495

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 INVENTOR. @mAZ/c. WB WAQM 84 68 a? $44,442:

lTTOE/VEYS b- 1 5- R. E. J. NORDQUIST BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM;

Filed Nov. 17, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q IN?N%TOR. MK/z MM1 m A M A T TOEWEYS Feb. 26, 1946. R. E. J. NORDQUIST BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet 6 WW? MZ Z x M a N&

production machines.

mechanism;

Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT, orrlcr. I

' BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y.

a corporation of New Jersey Application'Novembenl'l, 1942, Serial No. 465,873

9 Claims.

pivotally swings them from'the stack into the.

grip of high speed rotating feed rollers for advancement in a quiet, highly efficient manner which is conducive to the operation of high speed Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better underdiscloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: J Figure 1 is a top plan view of a blank feeding mechanism embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away and parts shown in section and with a sheet metal blank in position in the Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1;

line section 3 3 in Fig. 1 and illustrating difler-' ent positions of certain movable parts of the I mechanism and showing a blank being fed from a stack during the feeding operation. l

As a preferred embodiment ofthe invention the drawings illustrate a blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow strips or blanksA- of sheet metal along a predetermined path of travel. Annular collar bands are made from these strips and subsequently are inserted into metal cans of the tearing strip type in which the collar band is utilized as a seat for the cover when the latter is used as a reclosure.

The mechanism embodying the present invention is utilized preferably in conjunction with a more elaborate machine, such for example as a machine for forming the collar bands mentioned above. Such a collar band forming machine is disclosed in United States Patent 1,917,270, issued July 11, 1933, to J. F. Peters and is entitled Machine for forming metal bands.

- In the instant mechanism the strip blanks A are fed individually from the bottomof a stack Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken substantially along the line 5-5 in'Fig. 4, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation as viewed from the right in Fig. 1 and drawn to a reduced scale, with parts broken away;

-Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and transverse sectional details taken substantially along the lines 1--'I in Fig. 3, and 8-8' in Fig. 4, with parts broken.

away; .1

Fig. 9 is a top plan view with parts broken back and parts shown in section and with parts omitted to clearly illustrate certain of the hidden worksince the strips are usually narrow this same distance is covered rapidly and with only a slight movement of the strip.

When the leading end of the strip is once located between the feed rollers D, the latter are brought into frictional engagement-with the strip and thereupon withdraw it entirely from the magazine and advance it into the machine proper. This completes the feeding of the strip in a quick and emcientmanner best adapted to high speed and 3).

production machines.

The strip blank magazine C includes two pairs of lower and upper guide rails 2|, 22 (Figs. 1, 2 One of the lower guide rails is disposed adjacent the feed rollers D. For this particular size and shape of strip blank one upper rail is directly above one lower rail and the other upper rail is intermediate the two lower rails. At the bottom of the magazine the lower and upper rails stacked. order and in a horizontal position one on top of the other. The vertical'faces 2'3, 24 of the; rails merge into outwardly curved. and inclinedffaces. the lowerrail having an upper face.

- tion and. isdisclosed in the above mentioned Peters patent.

The. lower guide rails 2| are mounted on a housing cover 28 (Figs. 1 and 3) of a main housing 29; which carries most of the parts of the feeding mechanism. The housing is bolted to a frame 30 (seealso Fig. 4) which in the instant. caseis themain frame of the collarband making machine towhich the feeding mechanism in this embodiment is attached. These lower guide rails are adjustable to accommodate different lengths of stripblanksand aresecured in place by bolts 3| (Figs. 6 and 9), the heads of which are disposed'ina T slot 32in a support block 33 formed on thehousing cover 28.

The; upper guide rails 22 are mounted on an adjustable guide bracket 34 which is secured by bolts; 35 to a spacer block 36 carried on top of the housing cover 28; Slots 3! in the guide bracket allow for its adjustment when the bolts 35- are loosened. The spacer block 36 may be held on the housing cover in the desired position by a similar slot 38 and bolt 39. connection.

The: lowerind upper guide rails 2|, 22 thus mounted in the desired position on the housing cover "are on top of the rest of the mechanism. Consideringthe magazine from above it will be observed that the longitudinal feed line of the feed-rollers D is-at anangle to those strip blanks inthelower vertical part of the stack within the magazine. In this angular position the rear or outer. ends of these lower strips in the stack are in the longitudinal feed line of the feed rollers D andJare supported in this position on a horizontal foot. 4| (Fig. 10) formed on the outer or rear upper guide rail 22.

The forward or inner ends of the vertical and angular stat]: of strips are disposed to one side of the feed rollers D. This end of the stack is supported on a foot extension 42 (see also.Figs.-l,

9? and 11) of the inner or forward lower guide rail 2 I, The lowermost strip in the stack is always stack and thus facilitatestheir downward:.-travell by gravity through the-magazine:

Rockingzof the vibrator rorkjsis; brought about" by an' adjustable. setscrew 52; (Figs..3-andi9.) which:

engages against a pad extension 53 of the vi:-

8 is formedwith an actuating.

arm 59 which carries a cam roller 8| thatnoperates against a face cam 82 (see also: Figs. 1; 6

.and 9) mounted on a drive. shaft 63 journalediin' bearings formed in the main frame 30. of'tlieicollar band machine. The driveshaftxfl. is. constinuously rotated in any" suitable. manner, preferably-from a rotating element: of. thecollanbmdr} machine, in time with the otherr'movingzpartsmti the machine.

Feeding of the lowermosta strip blank A from". I the magazine C is broughtaboutpreferably bya short stroke. coin feed. type reciprocating-finger, 1| (Figs. 1, 3, 12 and 13) which is locatedsadias cent the. outer edges of the strips-m2 thermagazineand near the center. intermediate their ends; The feed end'of. this flngeris formed. withafiat:

nose 12 havinga sharp feed step. or shoulder"? (Fig. 12) which is' substantially equal. to: thickness of one strip blank.A. The ieedastepr mergesinto a raised follower..- projection-.14;

The oppositeendof thefeedfl'nger'll is with a pair of pivot trunnions'liwhicharecar. ried in. a feedhead lt'formed'on the-upperendiofzj an upright rocker lever ll disposed within housing 29; Intermediate'its ends'the flngerreats-z.

. upon avertical, yieldab'le: button "which is car-- supported on a foot 44 (Fig; 2) of theinner or forwardupper guide rail 22. This middle part of the stack. is engaged by a vibrator fork '45 (Figs.

to the back. of a depending guide member 49:

bolted to the guide bracket 34.

The. strip blanksA are fed from the stack at the bottom of the magazine C. Every time a strip is-removedfromthe stack, the vibrator fork 45 isrocked; upwardly against the bottom of the stack. This raises'the stripsslightly and then lets them fall. This vibrates the strips in the ried in the feed head and whichis backed" upby' a compression spring 19' housedwithin a clearance" bore 8| formed in the head.- A screw-plug";

threaded into. the head. keeps the spring and H163.

button in place. i

The spring 19 presses the button ll agalnstther feed finger 1| and thusholds the lattenin upward. normal position against an overhanging."

stop extension 84 of the head, as shown in F188.

zontal alignment with the outer edgeof' the. lowermost strip Ain the blank.

The rocker lever 11 which carries. the feed finger H, is mounted at its lower end on. a pivot; shaft 88 (Figs. 3 and. 4) retained in a pair ofspacedcbearings 81 formed: in. an: adjustable.

bracket. Thebracket is keyed" to and isislida-z' ble along an. elongated boss 88; formed on the.

floor of the'housing 29 so that the lever: maybe so placed as to. kee the feed finger: in a middle; position relative to the. particular. length of strip.

adjustment the bracketmav be locked in: posttion by a bolt 9| which extends through a: hole inthe bracket and through. an elongated slot in-the floor of the housing.

The rocker lever 11 is rocked on itspivotshatt 86 by an edge cam 92' which operates against a cam roller 93 carried: on a lug, 94 formed onthe lever. The cam rolleris.held.inrengagementwith;

the cam by a tension spring. 95. One end ofthe spring is secured to a lug. 96 which. extendszinwardly from a wall of the housing 29; The op posits end of the spring is. fastenedto'the. outer" I end of an arm 9! which is'formed on the'rocker' lever 11.

In other 'words, the. mechanism is. adjusted" for:v each strip of different length. After snchzan.

The cam 92 is keyed to a cam shaft 98which is journaled at its ends in bearings v99 formed in the housing 29. The cam is also slidable along the shaft to bring it into alignment with the cam roller 93 when the lever 11 is adjusted for different lengths of strips A. A setscrew lIlI is carried in the hub of the cam for locking the latter in place on theshaft after an adjustment.

The cam shaft 98 is continuously rotated in time with the other moving parts of the mecha nism and of the collar band machinerto which it is attached, by a sprocket I (Fig. 4) which is mounted on the cam shaft. This sprocket is driven by a chain I05 (see also Fig. 6) which operates over a driving sprocket, I91 mcuntedon a shaft I08 journaled in bearing brackets I99 secured to an outer wall of the housing 29. The shaft I95 is rotated by a gear III which is -mounted thereon and which meshes with and is driven by a gear II2 mounted on the drive shaft 53.

A With such a construction of arts a short stroke is imparted to the rocker lever 11 in a quiet and highly efficient manner which is particularly adaptable to high speeds. This rocking of the lever reciprocates the rocker head 15.

through a forward stroke and thence through atv return stroke relative to the stack of strip blanks A in the magazine 0.

On a forwardstroke of the rocker head 18, the

nose 12 of the feed finger 1| .-passes under the lowermost strip blank A in the stack while the feed step 13 engages the outer edge of the blank and pushes the blank. laterally from the. bottom of the stack (see Fig. 12). During this lateral feeding of the blank, the follower projection 14 on the finger engages under the stack of blanks.

up during this feeding operation by uide face II4 formed on the adjustable guide member-59.

Such a lateral pressure applied to the blank 5 intermediate its length incidental to its being fed from the magazine, pivots the blank at its outer end while moving it futrher at its inner end, that is, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 11. During this shifting movement, the rear or outer end of the blank is held between the guide faces23, 24 of the two outer guide rails 2|, 22, the forwardend of the blank being swung inwardly into position in alignment with and in between the open or spaced feed rollers D.

This swinging of the blank takes place through clearance slots II8, II9 (Figs. 2 and 13) formed in the inner upper guide rail 22 and in the guide member 49. The slot H8 in the guide rail 22 is located adjacent its stack supporting foot 44 while the slot in the guide member 49 is dis posed adjacent a pair of such feet I 2l (Figs.'1,

11 and 13) formed on the member.

After such a forward or feeding stroke, the rocker lever 11 immediately moves back through a return stroke in readiness to feed the next strip blank from the magazine. With such a short stroke rocker lever, this feeding takes place rapidly.

While the rocker lever 11 is moving back through a return stroke, the forward end of the strip which hasbeen shifted into place between or into the bight of the feed rollers D is gripped per drive roller I35 (Figs.'4 and 8) and a lower pressure roller I36. I

The upper roller I 35 .isformed cnthe inner end of-a shaft I38 which is journaledinalong bearing I39 of a movable bracket Ill. This bracket is mount d-ona pivot pin I42 (see also Fig. 1) carthe roller into as inoperativeposition in case a I strip becomes jammed between the rollers.

when the drive roller I35 is in its normal cpcrating position itis held in place by a yieldable latch I41 which is mounted on .a pivot screw I45 threadedly engaged in the extension I of the housing cover plate 25. The screw is surrounded by acompression spring I49 which is located in a reces I5Iformed in the latch and whichisinterposed between the bottom of the recess and a washer I52 carried on the screw.

The latch I41 extends over thetopof the bearing I39 and presses against a boss formed on the bearing. Two side lugs I54 which extend out from thebearing rest on the extension l1 of the housingplate 28 and thu locate the bearing and the rollerin theproper operating position.

The upper driveroller I35 is continuouslyro- .tated (in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4) athigh speed by a pulley I55 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is mounted on the outer end of the roller driveshaft I38. This pulley is driven by an end- .less belt I51 which operates over a drive pulley 1 I58 (Fig. 6) mounted on the rotor shaft of an electric motor I59. The motor is supported'on a bracket I5I which is bolted to a side of. the housing 29. The lower pressure roller I 35 rotates on ashort shaft or stiid I55 (Figs. 4, 8 and9) which is car ried in a bearing I55 formed on a lever arm {I51 which'projects outwardly from the stack vibra tor or rocker hub 55. This idler roller is raised and lowered relative to the upper or drive roller I35 in time with the feeding'of .astrip blank A from the stack. This raising and lowering of the pressure roller is effected in part by the cam roller f 5| that operates against the face cam 52. This is .brought about simultaneously with the vibrating of the strip blanks in the magazine'C.

The cam roller 5I is held against the cam 52 by a compression spring I1I(Fig. 4) whichsurrounds a bolt I12-1oosely held with a yoke I13. (see also Fig. 5) formed on alug I14 of the machine frame 30. The spring is interposed between the yoke anda round or button shaped head I15 formed on the top of the bolt. This head is pressed upwardly by the sprin against a seat jI1l formed in a lug extension I11 ofthe lower roller lever arm m. As previously stated, it is this spring that holds the cam roller 5| against the face cam 52 and with the cam effects the vertical oscillation or movement of the roller above men tioned.

The normal position of 'the pressure roller IN is separated from and in spaced relation tonthe up- I per or drive rollerl35. ,Whena strip blank A comes into position between the rollers, the face cam 62 allows the compression spring I11 to rock the lever arm I51 upwardlyand thus to force the pressure roller andfthe interposed strip blank against the rotating drive roller. The strip thus held in frictional engagement with the drive roller is propelled forward (toward the left as viewed inv Fig. 4) This completely withdraws the strip from These machine feed rollers I85, I88 are rotated in time with the feed rollers I35, I38 in any suitable man'ner, preferably from some element of the collar band making machine. By way of example, the machine feed rollers may be rotated in unison by a pair of meshing gears I9 I, one of these gears being driven by agear I82 of the collar band machine.

Provision is made for stopping the feeding of th strip blanks A from the magazine C without stopping the operation of the mechanism if for any reason the collar band machine cannot receive them. This is brought about by a stop latch 20I (Figs. 3 and '7) which operates against a lug 202 formed on a side of the rocker lever arm 01.

' This stop latch is mounted on a pivot pin 203 carried in an upright extension 204 of the rocker lever bracket88. An arm 205 projecting outwardly from the stop latch bears against the top end of a vertically disposed core 208 of an electric solenoid 201 secured to and movabl with the bracket 88. This solenoid is connected by wires 209 to a suitable source of electric energy and to the various electric stop devices which, are usual in a collar band making machine as disclosed in the.

above mentioned Peters patent.

The solenoid 201 is maintained normally in a deenergized condition. In this condition a spring 2 housed within the solenoid presses upwardly on its core 208 and the latch arm 205 and thus holds the. latch 20I out of the path of travel of the lug 202 on the rocker lever arm 91. This spring 2 is balanced in its normal holding action by a fiat'spring 2I2 which is secured to the upright extension 204 and which engages the latch.

Thus when the collar band machine .is operating under normal conditions, the stop latch 20I is held in an inoperative position and normal -feeding of the strip blanks A from the magazine C takes place. If, however, one of the electric stops in the collar band machine operates to indicate abnormal conditions, such as a Jam or the like in the machine, the solenoid 201 is immediately energized by electric current then flowing through the solenoid circuit established by the stop circuit in a conventional manner.

Energizing of the solenoid 201 immediately draws the core 208 downwardly into the solenoid against the resistance of the spring 2. This permits the flat spring 2I'2 to rock the latch 20I into the path of travel of the lug 202. The lug upon engaging the latchis held against further movement and the rocker lever cam roller 83 thereupon no longer follows the cam 82. The rocking movement of the lever 11 is'thus temporarily stopped and thus feeding of strips A from the magazine ceases.

When the condition in the collar band machine is.again brought to normal and the solenoid is again deenergized, the stop latch 20I returns to its normal position. This frees the rocker lever 11 for normal feeding operation. The circuits connecting the solenoid with the various stop dc vices in the collar band are such as are usually incorporated in automatic machines and it is therefore thought that further detailed explanation of these circuits need not be given.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form. construction and arrangement of the parts without-departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described bein merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a support for opposite ends of a strip blank, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers adjacent one end of said support, and means for pivotally shifting said strip blank in its support about a point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers to move the blank into between said rotating rollers for withdrawal of the blank from the support for its subsequent advancement along a predetermined path of travel 2. In a high-speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a magazine for holding a stack of strip blanks, said magazine having longitudinally spaced support members for holdlng said strip blanks against lateral displacement at one end thereof but permitting lateral movement of the blanks at an opposite free end thereof, a pair of high speedv rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent the free end of said support, and a reciprocable feed finger operable adjacent said magazine for individually and laterally shifting the free ends of said strip blanks from the stack of blanks, said finger also pivoting each blank at its retained end about a point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers to bring the free end of each blank into between said rollers for successive withdrawal of the blanks from the magazine and for advancement along a predetermined path of travel.

3. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks 0! sheet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining a plurality of strip blanks in stacked position, a pair of high speed rotatable feed'rollers disposed adjacent one end of said magazine. and a short stroke reciprocable feed finger engageable with an edge of an individual strip blank intermediate its ends so as to pivotally shift th blank I within said magazine about a point disposed substantially inthe plane of the bight of the feed rollers to move a free end of the blank an increased distance to move said free end into between said rollers for withdrawal of the blanks from the magazine and for advancement along a predetermined path of travel.

4. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining a stack of strip blanks and supporting the same at its opposite ends, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of said magazine, a short stroke reciprocable feed finger having a feed step engageable with an edge of an individual strip blank intermediate its end! for pivoting the blank in said magazine about a point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers'to shift the blank into th bight of said rollers for withdrawal of the blank from the magazine, and a projection on said feed finger for engaging and moving said stack of blanks away from the blank being shifted to relieve the pressure thereon and to prevent scratching of the blank.

5. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining and supporting a stack of strip blanks, a pair of separable normally open high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of said magazine, means for laterally shifting one end of an individual blank in the stack to pivot the blank at its opposite end about a point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers to bring the shifted blank end into position between said open feed rollers, and means operable in time with the shifting oi said blanks for closing said rollers on the interposed end of on said rocker lever and engageable with an edge of an individual strip blank for pivotally shifting a said blank forfrictionally withdrawing the same from the magazine and for advancing it along a. predetermined path oftravel.

6. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining and supporting at spaced localities a stack of strip blanks, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of the strip blanks in said magazine, and a reciprocable feed flnger'engageable with an edge of an individual strip blank for pivotally shifting the blank in said magazine about a, point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers to move the blank into the bight of said feed rollers for withdrawing the blank from the magazine, and stop means operable during abnormal conditions for holding said feed finger in an inoperative position and away from said stack of strip blanks to prevent feeding of the blanks from the magazine.

7. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of heet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining and supporting at spaced localities a stack of strip blanks, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of the said magazine, a rocker lever disposed so as to have one end movable toward and away from said magazine, actuating devices for-rocking said lever through a short rapid stroke, a feed finger carried the blank in said magazine about a point disposed substantially in the plane of the bight of the feed rollers to move said blank into the bight of said rollers for withdrawing the blank from the magazine, a spring latch engageable during abnormal conditions with said rocker lever; for holding it and its feed finger in an inoperative position away from the stack of blanks to prevent feeding of the blanks from the magazine, and an electric solenoid operable against said latch for bringing it into holding engagement with said rocker lever.

8. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, the combination of a magazine for retaining and supporting at spaced localities a tack of strip blanks in a horizontal position one above the other, guide rails disposed adjacent said magazine for supporting a supply of blanks to be fed to said magazine, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of said magazine, means for pivotally shifting an individual strip blank from said magazine about a point disposed substantially in th plane of the bight of the feed rollers to move said blank into between said rollers for withdrawal from the magazine. and a vibrating shoe engageable under said stack of blanks for raising and lowering the stack within the magazine in time with the feed-t ing of the blanks therefrom to facilitate feeding :11 the blanks from said guide rails into the magane. I

9. In a high speed blank feeding mechanism for feeding narrow elongated strip blanks of sheet material, thecombination of a magazine for retaining and supporting adjacent its oppositeends a stack of strip blanks, a pair of high speed rotatable feed rollers disposed adjacent one end of said magazine, a short stroke reciprocable feed finger disposed as to be engageable with an edge of an individual strip blank for pivotally shifting the blank in said magazine about a point disposed substantially in the plane or the bight of the feed rollers to move the blank into the bight of said rollers for withdrawal of the blank from the magazine, and a support element disposed against the opposite edges of the blanks in the stack adjacent the blank being shifted, said support element serving to back up and hold the stacked blanks against displacement relative to the blank being shifted.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST. 

